‘I wouldn’t answer her, if I were you,’
said Camilla.
‘I really don’t think this can do any
good,’ said Mrs French.
‘And it is so very harassing to our nerves,’
said Arabella.
‘Nerves! Pooh!’ exclaimed Miss Stanbury.
’Now, Mr Gibson, I am waiting for an answer.’
’My dear Miss Stanbury, I really think it better
the situation is so peculiar, and, upon my word, I
hardly know how not to give offence, which I wouldn’t
do for the world.’
‘Do you mean to tell me that you won’t
answer my question?’ demanded Miss Stanbury.
‘I really think that I had better hold my tongue,’
pleaded Mr Gibson.
‘You are quite right, Mr Gibson,’ said
Camilla.
‘Indeed, it is wisest,’ said Mrs French.
‘I don’t see what else he can do,’
said Arabella.
Then was Miss Stanbury driven altogether beyond her
powers of endurance. ‘If that be so,’
said she, ’I must speak out, though I should
have preferred to hold my tongue. Mr Gibson did
offer to my niece the week before last twice, and
was refused by her. My niece, Dorothy, took it
into her head that she did not like him; and, upon
my word, I think she was right. We should have
said nothing about this, not a word; but when these
false assertions are made on Mr Gibson’s alleged
authority, and Mr Gibson won’t deny it, I must
tell the truth.’ Then there was silence
among them for a few seconds, and Mr Gibson struggled
hard, but vainly, to clothe his face in a pleasant
smile. ’Mr Gibson, is that true?’
said Miss Stanbury. But Mr Gibson made no reply.
’It is as true as heaven,’ said Miss Stanbury,
striking her hand upon the table. ’And
now you had better, all of you, hold your tongues about
my niece, and she will hold her tongue about you.
And as for Mr Gibson, anybody who wants him after
this is welcome to him for us. Good-morning,
Mrs French; good-morning, young ladies.’
And so she stalked out of the room, and out of the
house, and walked back to her house in the Close.
‘Mamma,’ said Arabella as soon as the
enemy was gone, ’I have got such a headache
that I think I will go upstairs.’
‘And I will go with you, dear,’ said Camilla.
Mr Gibson, before he left the house, confided his
secret to the maternal ears of Mrs French. He
certainly had been allured into making an offer to
Dorothy Stanbury, but was ready to atone for this crime
by marrying her daughter Camilla as soon as might
be convenient. He was certainly driven to make
this declaration by intense cowardice—not
to excuse himself, for in that there could be no excuse—but
how else should he dare to suggest that he might as
well leave the house? ’Shall I tell the
dear girl?’ asked Mrs French. But Mr Gibson
requested a fortnight, in which to consider how the
proposition had best be made.
MR BROOKE BURGESS AFTER SUPPER
